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Rafal Majka climbs to Tour de France stage win

On race's the second day in the Pyrenees, Rafal Majka survived a breakaway to win Stage 17 of the Tour de France to Pla d'Adet ski station. Vincenzo Nibali added to his already substantial race leader.

PLA D'ADET, France (AP) — Poland's Rafal Majka captured his second stage victory at the Tour de France on Wednesday, winning Stage 17th with a late breakaway on the last of four tough climbs in the Pyrenees.

Vincenzo Nibali of Italy trailed by about a minute, and gained more seconds on his main rivals, as he retained the leader's yellow jersey that he's worn for all but two stages this year.

Majka, who cheekily winked to a French TV camera with about a kilometer left, tapped his chest, thrust his arms skyward and shouted in joy after giving his Tinkoff Saxo-Bank squad its second straight stage victory after Tuesday's win by Australian Michael Rogers.

"I promised Bjarne today that I would win the stage," said Majka of his team manager, Bjarne Riis.

Majka has shown that he's the best climber in this Tour. The 24-year-old Polish rider tightened his grasp on the polka dot jersey awarded to the race's King of the Mountains, which he was already wearing.

With a last Pyrenean day ahead on Thursday, Majka is looking increasingly likely to take home the red-dot jersey. His closest rival as the day began was Spain's Joaquim Rodriguez, who swatted the air in frustration at Majka when the Pole broke away on the last climb.

Wednesday's 124.5-kilometer (77-mile) trek was the shortest stage in this year's Tour, and the second of three days in the mountains along France's border with Spain. It covered three hard Category 1 ascents from Saint-Gaudens and a final push up to

ski station above the town of Saint-Lary-Soulan.

Nibali gained about 50 seconds on his nearest rival, Spain's Alejandro Valverde, who made a valiant recovery on the last climb to avoid even more damage. Overall, the Italian has a 5 minute, 26 second lead over Valverde.

Stage 18's 145.5-kilometer (90-mile) ride from Pau to Hautacam features two climbs that are so hard that they defy cycling's ranking system, one of them an uphill finish.

The pack, with Vincenzo Nibali of Italy, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, left, rides through the courtyard of the Louvre museum during the 21st stage of the Tour de France.
Francois Mori, AP

Romain Bardet leads a small group containing Vincenzo Nibali in the leader's yellow jersey during Stage 17 of the 2014 Tour de France between Saint-Gaudens and Saint-Lary Pla d'Adet in France.
Bryn Lennon, Getty Images

Yellow jersey holder and Astana team rider, Vincenzo Nibali, of Italy, celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the 197.5km 13th stage of the Tour de France cycling race between Saint-Etienne and Chamrousse.
Jean-Paul Pelissier, REUTERS

Italy's Vincenzo Nibali eats while riding in the pack during the thirteenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 197.5 kilometers (122.7 miles) with start in Saint-Etienne and finish in Chamrousse, France, Friday.
Christophe Ena, AP

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Christophe Ena, AP

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Christophe Ena AP

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ASO, AP

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Peter Dejong, AP

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Christian Hartmann, Reuters

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Jacky Naegelen, Reuters

Vincenzo Nibali celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win Stage 2 of the 2014 Tour de France between York and Sheffield in England. The win gave Nibali the leader's yellow jersey.
Eric Feferberg, AFP/Getty Images

Mark Cavendish gets assistance after crashing near the finish line of Stage 1 of the 2014 Tour de France from Leeds to Harrogate in England. Cavendish was forced to abandon the race due to his injury.
Christian Hartmann, Reuters